That Night in Sunset
by Scepidilionz
Summary: One day, a baby is left on the doorstep to castle Sindria. Seeing it as a sign, Ja'far is determined to take the baby and raise it, bringing his secret lover along for the ride.
1. Chapter 1

**Note: I consider this story to be something more casual from my usual work. It is significantly less focused on action (for now) and more on the interactions between characters. I hope you enjoy!**

 **Also, the cover art is not mine, albeit I did do a significant amount of editing on it. I could not find the name of the original artist, but whoever they are, all credit goes to them for the original work.** **  
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Ja'far rose slowly from the bed, rubbing the sleepiness out of his eyes as the silken bedspreads slid down his body. With a yawn, he looked over to Sinbad, who was facing away from him, hair unkempt and spread wildly across clean white pillows. It looked almost like a negative image of a bolt of lightning fluttering and meandering through the skies. "Rise and shine, we should have been up an hour ago." He said calmly and slowly, gently rubbing the other man's back with the slightest of touch, "It's a busy day."

"No." Was all he said, pulling the duvet up above his eyes, which was a difficult task to accomplish given that Ja'far's weight was currently holding it down. The movement of the blanket shifted the position of the throw pillows on the foot of the bed, sending some of them sprawling onto the floor. "You can't make me."

"You wouldn't want people to start growing suspicious, would you?" He asked, knowing that the King was very keen on keeping this in the dark. It had been like this for months, it was about to go on a year. Gradually, they were losing their touch, little glances would escape into the cosmos of what was, gentle passing touches that were seemingly imperceptible to anyone but themselves. But secrets could only be held for so long, like a breath held too long, in one sharp burst it would escape across their lips, screaming and gasping. "We're both an hour late, and while that is usual for you, it isn't for me." He got up to start getting about his day, though his day was always supposed to start with raising the king from the land of the dead, so technically, he was exactly where he should be.

The hardest part after those nights was certainly pulling himself together to face another day. Ja'far just made his world fall apart, and sometimes, things were meant to stay broken. But here the man was, trying to build him back up again, when he just wanted to wash away with the ocean's waves like a child's sandcastle. Of course, he meant all of this with the greatest bliss. Nothing made him happier than being greeted by the rough singsong of his lover's voice in the morning, every morning. He wished he could stay here and listen to it berate him forever, which in fact, he could, but eventually the sweet taste of chocolate would be maddening. "It would rouse more suspicion if we left together _every_ morning. Oh wait. We do." There was no way the other generals didn't know about… this… By now. If they didn't they clearly weren't paying enough attention and were slacking at their jobs.

"No excuses. I know as soon as I leave you'll doze right back off." He reached into one of the drawers, sliding on various garments to get ready for the day. He dabbed a little bit of sinbad's perfume onto his wrist, that way when he got bored doing paper work during the day, he could sniff it as he lay his head into his palm, reminding himself of who he was doing it for. "Maybe if you didn't work yourself so hard at night, you could work harder in the day." He stopped at the foot of the bed, leaning over it, "I'm willing to take some damages to our escapades."

"You suck." Sinbad said, throwing the covers off, forcing himself to wake up with the blast of cold air on his bare skin.

"You love when I do, Sin." He smiled, handing the King his clothes. "No baths. Sorry. We're too late for that." If they had gotten up when they were supposed to, he probably would have drawn the bath, putting some coffee oils into the water for fragrance. Oh, he loved coffee.

"And you take away my favourite part of the morning. When will the torture end." He sighed, doing as his advisor instructed, "What's the plan for today?"

"You're going straight into a meeting regarding the recent water damages in the lower level. I will be bringing you breakfast during that, since we don't have the time to stop and get it." He heard Sinbad whine, and rolled his eyes, "You're unusually groan-y today. Are you feeling well?" He stepped over to take his temperature, placing his lips on his forehead, "You feel fine… Did you hurt something last night?"

"No, I just can feel that it is going to be a long day." He smiled up at him, taking his hand into his, running over the callouses that had been caused from years of accidental cuts. Parts of his finger tips and nails were permanently stained with ink from his more recent years of work, but one had to look very closely to see the little splotches. "Try not to get bored today. I know you always do."

"Nonsense, I think of all the fun the people of Sindria are having because of our work, and that makes it fun." Sure, he was lying a tad, but the people did make it all worth it in the end. That they had set out and accomplished the goal that he had once thought his master was insane for setting out to do. It was a beautiful thing. He never would have thought that he would make it his far. What would his parents say if they saw him now? The rest of the Sham Lash? Initially, the other assassins had tried to make their way to punish Ja'far for leaving the force, but in more recent years, they had given up entirely. It was a wonderful thing to finally be free of the evils that plagued him. Sin had allowed that to happen.

Sinbad smiled, getting up and stretching, "That it does." They had their country now. He stepped over to his vanity, seeing that one of his oil perfumes had a slightly askew lid, and smiled. Ja'far always prefered that one, he said it smelt like a summer storm in the middle of the ocean, just like him. Beautiful, awe inspiring, but a merciless force of nature. He pushed the lid back into place with a gentle tap, choosing a different one for the day.

They headed out together, being sure to stand several inches apart. There were no wanton glances or sly winks today, no delicate graces of their pinkies. Today was a business day.

A few hours after they awoke, Sinbad released himself from another meeting about bees. Apparently, the farmers needed more bees to be shipped in from beyond the island in order to pollinate their crops. It would be no problem, but to him it was a strange request, given that he had never worked in agriculture.

He was starving, he hadn't had time to eat while they were discussing water damage this morning. Ja'far had brought him food as he said he would, but it had gotten gross. But at least now there was lunch.

Ah! Butternut squash soup! He smiled when a bowl was placed in front of him. He nodded in thanks to the servant, who smiled in return, before he started to eat. It was so warm and nice, and sent him into a daydream. But his reverie was shattered by the wailing of a newborn infant. Ja'far came in, holding the baby, "Sin." Sinbad had a sour expression on, wondering why the baby was here, "I…"

Sinbad saw the expression on Ja'far's face. No. This was not happening. "Where did… it come from?" He got up to look at the baby. It was swaddled in a coarse green blanket, it's face bright red with tears. _Aw… Cute._ He thought, and Ja'far put the child in his arms.

Sin rocked the child back and forth as Ja'far started to speak, "He was on the doorstep… No one saw him get there…" His eyes were pleading, running his fingers through his hair, looking him fervently in the eyes. "I sent out a search for his mother and a milkmaid an hour ago, but no one seems to be missing a child. I… called him Mystras." He rocked back and forth on his heels, holding his arms behind him. They were the only ones in the room, "There are people who offered to take care of him… But I want to, Sin."

"Ja'far... " The King sighed, looking at the child dubbed Mystras. "I don't know. We are both so busy." Ja'far's eyes brightened at the 'We' worded, shining like the dapples of sunlight through a dense forest, "You said there are others who are willing to watch over him?..." He asked tentatively, voice falling the longer the sentence went on, following his lover's gaze to the floor, "Ja'far…"

"I know we're busy all the time, but we have an opportunity here." He never would have thought that he would have a family, but here his chance was. It was meant to be. They had Sindria now, they could make time for a family. "I… I am going to, Sin." He smiled as the king passed him the infant, looking into his sleepy eyes, he seemed to have given up on crying. "Unless you ordered me not to, these are my intentions." Sin would never be so cruel as to issue such an order.

"Well you can't do it on your own." He smiled, pulling him into a side hug, hand wrapped around his waist, meeting his eyes for a moment before looking down at the child in his arms. Ja'far was determined. This had come out of nowhere. It was just supposed to be a normal, busy day. "Hello Mystras." He said in a high pitched voice, unbefitting to him, but it felt only natural to speak to a baby in such a manner.

Ja'far stood on his toes for a moment to place a kiss on his lips, "I love you." He said in a hushed tone. He wanted to hold his face, but his hands were with the child, nestling him close, so Sinbad did it for a moment, holding his cheeks delicately between his hands for another quick kiss.

Yamuraiha stopped in the doorway, wanting to back out, but Sinbad noticed her presence as soon as she had made the decision to leave. She knew it! She knew they were together! Ever since Sinbad had slowed his advances of women at parties! Sure, he still did it, and every time he did Ja'far walked tenser and seemed snappy. "Yes, Yamuraiha?" Sinbad asked, stepping away from Ja'far, and Ja'far hid the blush on his face by heading to the other side of the room to sit down, watching as Mystras tries to suck on his finger, growing frustrated.

"We found a milk maid for the baby." She shifted on her feet nervously, even Sinbad was tense now. They were obviously intent on keeping whatever they had a secret. "Her name is Raleigh, a young mother who recently stopped feeding her child, but is still producing milk. We've already begun to set her up in the castle."

"Great, set her up near my bedroom, as well as a room for Mystras." He forced a smile, placing a hand on her shoulder, "Though do keep what you saw a secret, okay? It's important." The smile became real when she nodded, and he visibly relaxed, slowly pulling his hand away, watching as she scurried out to do as she was told, and his gaze fell to Ja'far, his face pensive and concerned, "You should head upstairs." He still had meetings to return to, "Take the rest of the week off and get acclimated, I'll pick up the extra work."

Ja'far nodded, his eyes seemed softer now. He was glad that he had gotten his way, and that he would be able to take care of Mystras, but now he had new worries. He would have to learn to balance way more than before. "I'll see you later?" He asked, standing up. They didn't get to be together every night, but tonight certainly called for it.

"Of course." He smiled, nodding and heading off. They couldn't get away with any more displays of affection, the fact that Yamuraiha had seen them sent him on edge. He trusted his generals to keep a secret, but would a normal servant do the same? They had been fortunate that it was her that had walked in and not anyone else. But… If they were going to raise Mystras together, would it be time to stop hiding their relationship?

He paused to look out the window, gazing over the country that he and his allies worked to hard to build. He had built friendships. He had built strong alliances between isolated nations. Maybe it was time to start building his family.


	2. Chapter 2

Ja'far sat in the rocking chair, holding Mystras, humming to him gently. He wasn't used to such delicate acts, even having been a reformed assassin for almost twenty years now. His voice was hesitant and unsure, rising and falling like choppy waves with the melody. Nonetheless, Mystras seemed to enjoy it, and his fussing gradually died down as he fell asleep.

He looked around the nursery that had been set up in a hurry. He would continue to make improvements to it for some time. "I don't know where you came from, Mystras, but I am happy you're here now." He whispered softly, looking up as Sinbad came into the room quietly, "He's asleep."

Sinbad smiled, leaning over to look at the sleeping infant's face. "He's adorable when he's not crying." He said, making sure the door was locked so he could kiss Ja'far's temple. Why was he so afraid of people knowing? He was Sinbad, conqueror of the Seven Seas.

Ja'far nodded, still rocking back and forth. "Raleigh is sweet, her kid is too. I'm glad that we found her." She had been eager to help them. Most of the citizens felt that way about King Sinbad, he had, and continues to do so much for them. "The little one's name is Sango."

"Good to know." He pulled up a chair to sit next to him, both taking in the beauty of the small form nestled between blankets. The limitless possibilities in a child's future. Ja'far seemed ready to take on the challenge of raising a child. He really wanted to, it felt right, and he was getting older. But children were not his area of expertise. He was a warrior and a leader. Ja'far was far better with children, he was almost motherly. How had he acquired such a wonderful skill? "Can I hold him?"

"Of course." He passed the little one to his other caretaker. Mystras didn't seem to mind once he was in Sinbad's arms, eager for the warmth that the man carried. "Like this, make sure to support his head." He repositioned Sinbad's hands slightly, making Mystras more comfortable.

"Ah, I see." Being so close to the new voice make Mystras grumble a tiny bit, "Shh, Daddy's here." He smiled, rocking as he had seen Ja'far do earlier in the day, and Mystras quieted down and closed his eyes.

 _Daddy? Well… I suppose._ Ja'far smiled, putting his head on Sinbad's shoulder. He felt exhausted. He looked over to the clock on the wall, realising it was almost midnight. Sinbad had spent much longer working then normal, because of the extra paperwork? Probably. "I'm sorry the paperwork took so long, I'll be able to do it tomorrow." He yawned, closing his eyes.

"No worries, I took care of tomorrow's too." He leaned his head against Ja'far's, closing his eyes as well. "I'll be out a lot tomorrow, so I wanted to get ahead."

"Where are you going? Who is on your security detail? Do you need help?" He stayed in his position, hands in his lap, folded delicately. He was sure his King would be alright, but he liked asking. It was better for him to have the information, especially since this trip was not on the schedule. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, I'm just going down to oversee the repairs in the southern district." He lied. Sharkan was overseeing that, "Sharkan thinks that I should see it." Another lie, Sharkan had no idea. He was going to walk through the town and think, he had always had a plan, but now he had no idea where he was heading. He was fourteen again, wandering the desert without sense of direction, his body simply telling him that he had to move. He had to do something for the world. Now, he had to do something for himself and Ja'far, and the new addition into his life.

Ja'far nodded with another yawn, "I agree. The floods were bad this year." Every summer the tides rose around the island, and sometimes, water managed to get around their natural barricades. Fortunately, the middle of the island had a steady increase in altitude that protected them, but the lower levels did not. As such, every year, the kingdom handled the repairs to the lower levels. It would certainly not be fair to require the citizenry to handle the aftermath of the forces of nature, that was just the kind of injustice Sindria was founded against. "Bring Walnuts." He said quietly, making a connection that only made sense in his own sleepy mind.

Sinbad didn't know when he fell asleep, but he woke up to a screaming infant. Ja'far fell out of his chair in surprise, confusing the cry of a child with a dirty diaper with a scream of pain. His hands flew to his weapons in a moment of confusion, before he got his thoughts together. Sinbad was less startled, looking down at little Mystras, "It's just a dirty diaper… How do we handle this?"

Ja'far stood in silence for a moment, hands on his hips, drawing Sin's eyes, "Are you serious? It's a diaper, Sin." He sighed, remembering caring for Kikiriku all those years ago, "Come here." Well, Sinbad was smart, he could learn how.

Sinbad brought the child over to the changing table, placing him on his back as Ja'far instructed. "Just like this." Ja'far smiled, getting to work, however as soon as the diaper came off, Mystras decided it was time to pee again, spraying across the room in a golden arch. Sinbad was quite taken aback, "They do that. Only boys do." He remembered Rurumu had explained to him that it was because the sudden air once the diaper came off. "That's why you don't stand near their bottom."

Sinbad nodded, glad that neither had them had gotten wet, watching Ja'far continue. He worked so fast with it, and before he knew it, there was a fresh and clean baby in his arms. "All clean now!" He smiled, "Though Ja'far, I may need another demo."

"We will have plenty of opportunities for that." He smiled, getting to work on cleaning up the spill, "Could you bring him next door? He'll be hungry soon." He looked out the window to see that it was still in the middle of the night. He felt bad for having to wake Raleigh, but she was a mother and knew how babies worked.

As if on cue, Mystras began to cry again. "Okay okay." Sinbad coddled, heading outside the door to go see the milkmaid. "Don't worry, she's right here." He knocked on the door, and was shortly greeted by a woman with sleep in her eyes. "Sorry for waking you, he's um…"

"No problem, my King." She smiled, expecting this after all. She took Mystras gently when he was passed to her, heading into her room. Sinbad wasn't sure what the courtesy was, "You can come in, I'm covered." She had a scarf covering the sucking baby, knowing how squeamish men were about breasts, especially when they were being used for their natural purpose.

Sinbad followed in, "I just wanted to say thank you." She had packed up and moved here to the castle to take care of a baby that wasn't hers. He saw Sango pop her head up from her crib, wobbling on her two legs. She probably hadn't learned to walk quite yet. She was staring at him, black eyes wide. She reached out for his necklace, admiring how shiny it was. He wasn't sure how to respond to the little kid, so he just smiled, saying hello.

"It's no problem, I am glad to be here." Mystras was adorable, which was certainly an incentive. "It's an honour to be here and help you." A sincere smile laid on her lips, "And Sango always plays princess, she was so excited when she heard that you wanted us here."

"I am glad, is there anything I can do to make you more comfortable?" He asked, Sango now pulling at his hair, fascinated by the colour. "Hello princess, would you mind? That hurts." He faced her, gently removing his hair from her fingers.

"Oh goodness, I am so sorry." She stood up, "Sango, don't do that!" Sango stopped, hearing that her mother was upset, "I am sorry, she loves hair." Raleigh was clearly embarrassed, her cheeks red and rosy.

"It's no problem. Sango, you can braid it one day, okay?" The little girl simply continued in her play, crawling across her crib to grab a doll, swinging it in the air as if it were flying. Both adults in the room smiled, "How is he doing? Does he seem… Normal?" He had heard that sometimes there were babies that refused to feed, many people across the world were trying to figure out solutions to that problem.

"Yes, he does." She smiled, looking down at the baby, "Though may I ask a question?"

"Of course, please don't bother with formalities. We're equals." He leaned on the wall, seeing her brow furrow for a split second. No matter how much he insisted on equality, people still treated him as if he were better than them. _I was born poor in the middle of the desert to a crippled war hero and a beautiful and strong woman. There is nothing that makes my birth special._

"Well…" She seemed hesitant and unsure, "Why are you taking in this child? Surely he has other places to go, and he would be just as taken care of…" Sinbad wasn't married, and surely there were plenty of eligible maidens. Why adopt when he could easily have children of his own? "You work really hard…"

"Well…" He tried to figure out an explanation other than 'My secret boyfriend insisted, and named him after a dead friend', "My counselor Ja'far is wonderful with kids, he is trained as a midwife." It was an unusual skill for a man, "And I have wonderful support from the castle staff and our people… It felt right. Mystras was left here for a reason."

She nodded, hearing Mystras coo. "I see. Well he is a very lucky little baby indeed." He cooed again, looking down, "Ah, you done little guy?" Mystras was back in Sinbad's arms, happy as could be. "I can hear him cry from the next room, would you like me to listen out for the next time he is hungry?"

"That would be great, though I think Ja'far will be keeping him close." Mystras seemed sleepy again, "Especially for this first week." They would certainly be better off than most parents, they had dozens of people to help them in raising a child. "I would ask him about it."

She nodded, helping Sango back to bed, "It's time to sleep again." She whined, "Come on, we'll have plenty of fun tomorrow."

Sinbad headed back to Mystras's nursery, trying to lull him back to sleep as well. Ja'far had finished cleaning up, and looked over from where he was reordering the picture books. "That was fast." He trusted a mother to know when infants were done feeding, but he was surprised nonetheless. "You head back and get some more sleep, you have work to do tomorrow." He smiled, "I'll read him back to sleep." It was never to early to start reading to children, "This was… His first day on this world." He huddled up to Sinbad's shoulder, it was so magical. He had been through many days of his life, some more special than others, but a first day? That was magical, the blessing of life. "This was the happiest day of my life."

"I'm glad to hear that, this was truly wonderful." _Though the happiest day of my life was definitely when I first held you in my arms, and you told me that I was not alone, that you loved me too._ His heart had pounded like a drum of thunder, or the percussive sounds of the footfalls of ten thousand soldiers. His blood had rushed through his veins with a fire that he had never known before, electricity tingling at his fingertips, and his lips once they met his. "I'm really excited."

Ja'far gently took the baby from him, "I love you, go sleep. I'll be in within the hour." He smiled, tilting his head. If one didn't know Ja'far's past, they would assume that he was simply a loyal and adorable sweetheart, but hell, he was so much more than that.

"I love you too." He grabbed his face to give him a quick peck on the lips, and the kissed Mystras's forehead. This was all so much, so fast. He never would have guessed as he woke up that he would be a father by the end of the day. _Fate never showed me this, what a pleasant surprise._ He could feel the rukh clearly now, circling the newborn. "Sleep tight, both of you."

Ja'far sat down with a book in hand, holding Mystras in the crook of his left arm, the book in his right hand as he started to read a story about a toy duck floating through the ocean. By the time he had finished, his son was asleep, so after holding him, watching his chest rise and fall with the gentle waves of his breath, he brought him over to the crib to sleep. He made sure that the magic orb that Yamuraiha had set up was functional. It would allow him and Sin to see and hear Mystras from other locations. It would be very useful for if he started to cry in the middle of the night.

Sinbad stirred slightly when Ja'far rolled into bed, pulling the sheets over him. Ja'far kept very warm was he was asleep, it was the only time he was every warm. During the day he was very cool to the touch, as if he were a ghost. "Hm." He rolled over to wrap his arm around his lover, earning a smile. "Welcome back." So much for not sleeping together frequently. "You sure you're okay here?"

He nodded, pulling Sinbad's arm to his waist, holding it there. "Yeah. Just for tonight. It would be faster to get to Mystras from here. I'm worried about being so far away from his room…" He paused for a moment, before spinning suddenly to face him, "Besides, I like it in here with you." He had stayed in here once while Sinbad was away, just to feel close to him, and it wasn't the same.

"Oh?" He smiled, "Here I was thinking it was all about the location. I didn't know I was a factor in this decision making." His hand wandered from Ja'far's waist to his posterior.

"You weren't. You're just a wonderful, wonderful bonus." He bit his lip, eyes looking downward for a moment, before slowly making his gaze back to Sinbad's golden glimmering eyes. "The location is the pancake. You're the syrup and the cream."

"I love being cream." Sinbad smiled, kissing Ja'far longingly, "What do you do with cream?"

"I make sure cream gets plenty of rest because he's busy tomorrow… as his advisor. But as the man taking off his clothes… I do other things." He said with a wink, and Sinbad rolled so that he was on top of him. "You're going to be exhausted tomorrow, are you sure?" He bit his lower lip again, though this time in hesitation.

"I'm just watching, not like I'm actually building." He leaned into Ja'far's neck, kissing it. "So yes, I'm sure." Ja'far made a delicious sound in discontent agreement, "Though I do demand that we switch roles, my pancake toppings." He purred into his ear lustfully, and Ja'far nodded, unable to say anything. "You're just too sweet for it to be any other way."


	3. Chapter 3

Sinbad strolled through the hallways, his hair a little more frizzy than normal. He felt exhausted, it was a good thing that he didn't have any actual work planned for today. _I hate when he's right over the little things,_ He thought as he remembered Ja'far's warning from last night. Alibaba ran by, looking rushed, "Alibaba! Is all well?" He asked, and the blond spun around, keeping his feet in motion by running in place.

His cheeks were tinged red from the exercise, his heart fluttering like a wild butterfly, "I'm late to see Sharrkan! I have to go!" He was about to continue on but Sinbad grabbed the back of his shirt collar, bringing him to an abrupt halt.

"Don't worry, blame it on me. We're heading to the same place." He smiled, letting go of the young prince, "Besides, you look exhausted. Has he been pushing you too hard?" While it was important for Alibaba to train, he should still take care of his health. "Have you been eating well? Drinking enough water? Getting enough sleep?"

 _He sounds like a worried mother…_ "Yeah, all of that… Just had a couple nightmares last night… Nothing serious." He didn't really want to talk about it. King Sinbad had already done so much for him and the Kingdom of Balbadd, he didn't need to listen to him talk about his troubled dreams too. "You too?" SInbad didn't look too hot.

"Uh… Let's go with that." He smiled, laying eyes on Sharrkan, who was hitting on one of the housemaids, "Oi!" He clapped his hands, earning his general's attention, as well as the maid's, who ceased their behaviour immediately. "Ready to go?"

Sharrkan nodded, silver hair flopping about, "Yeah, didn't know you were coming though, glad to have you-" Sinbad wrapped his arm around his shoulders, "Sinbad?"

"I'm not going with you, but if anyone asks, I was there the entire time, got it?" His eyes were narrowed, as if he were up to some serious and nefarious business. "I have errands to run, that a certain someone can't know about, catch my drift?" He looked to Alibaba, who seemed confused. "You too. No words."

"Sure." They said in unison, taking threats from the conqueror of the Seven Seas seriously.

 _Does this have to do with what Yamuraiha told me?_ Of course, the one person she never could resist telling a juicy secret was Sharrkan. She made him swear to secrecy though, threatening to make him ugly if he told anyone, inadvertently admitting that she found him attractive. Of course, he wouldn't be asking his King about it, because then he would know that Yam had said something about their more risque kiss. "So, how's the baby? I heard you and Ja'far are raising him together."

Sinbad nodded, "Yeah. He's adorable."

"Who, Ja'far or Mystras?" He asked with a smirk, earning a sharp glare, "Got it, subject's off limits. Do you have a guard for today?" He looked hesitant. As amazing as Sinbad is, it would still be best for the entire Kingdom if he was protected at all times.

"Yeah, I'm stealing Alibaba." He smiled, "Do you mind?" Alibaba shook his head, he was just happy to get out of the castle and see more of Sindria. He had been here for a couple of years now, taking a break from adventuring and learning how a kingdom operates, but every time he went out and saw the people that Sinbad had brought together, he was amazed. "Good, happy to drag you along."

The two parties split apart outside the castle gates. Sinbad could see that the curtains in his room were open, meaning that Ja'far was awake and getting ready for the day. "Sinbad, if I may ask, what are we doing?" Alibaba questioned, trying to earn the King's attention, as he seemed to be in a daze, "Sinbad?"

"We're going shopping." He said, folding his arms. He had people to do this for him, but he wanted to do it himself this time. "Mystras is going to need more baby clothes, and Ja'far needs… Well anything that isn't official clothing." Especially since he was going to be on duty less.

Alibaba turned his attention ahead of them, wondering why Sinbad was doing all of this. He clasped his hands behind him sheepishly, "Is he your son?"

"He is now." Sinbad smiled, wondering why Alibaba was acting so unsure of himself. Alibaba was a confident youngman, "If there's something on your mind, you can ask it. I may not give an answer."

He shook his head, "No, it's nothing. There's just some rumours flying around about you and Ja'far… Not that I have a stance on them, or that I care, but the fact that you two are taking care of him together has people talking more. Saying that you're… gay." He met his eyes for the last word, trying to gauge Sinbad's reaction. The man didn't flinch.

"He's just an excellent caretaker. He's trained in midwifery, and helped raise Kikiriku when he was a child. There's no one I would rather help me with raising a child." He paused, looking to Alibaba, "Have you ever been with a man?" Alibaba was an adult, he had probably bedded a few people by now.

Alibaba's face lit aflame, brighter than the fires of Maharagan. "No… I've never been with a man… Or anyone really…" He wouldn't be admitting this to anyone but Sinbad, and perhaps Hakuryu. "It's normal… right? I'm only nineteen…" He sighed, knowing that he was about to turn twenty.

"Uh… Yeah. It's normal." _I was what… fifteen?_ "Well… You'll understand one day. To me, man and woman are the same in love. We want the same things, to feel loved. Especially when it's with someone special." He tilted his head, trying to explain it, "So while we're different physically… emotionally we're the same. And that's what counts."

 _That's awfully sentimental for the Flirt of the Seven Seas… Wow… I had no idea he felt this way._ "I think I understand."

"That's what love is. When you're in love with someone, you don't give a shit what they are. The only thing that matters is **who** they are." His mind wandered to that moment he and Ja'far had first shared their words of love, how he had held him in his arms, and his whole body seemed to glow in the light of the setting sun through the balcony doors. His eyes had glittered like stars behind gilded tears of joy, floating above the black abyss of the universe. They bruised each other's' lips, trying to swallow each other, trying to being one not just in spirit, but their fragile corporal forms as well. His hands had gotten tangled in his air, but they felt like they were in running water, the small trickles weaving through his fingers effortlessly, as if they were always meant to move that way. And they were. He was meant for Ja'far, body and soul.

* * *

Ja'far sat next to Raleigh, holding a tired Mystras. He knew that an infant was supposed to sleep for the majority of the time, especially this young, but he wanted to see him. He wanted to see him smile, or laugh. Or anything, really. But for now, feeling him curl his grip around his fingers was all he needed. It was beautiful. "Have you ever worn makeup?" Raleigh asked suddenly, tilting her head. She had been staring at Ja'far for a few minutes now, as if she had something on her mind. "My dad was from Reim, and My mother from Heliohapt. They both used to tell me stories about the upper classes there, as they were servants in noble houses. They used to say that the men wore makeup like the women."

"I'm from Parthevia…" He tilted his head, "Though the nobility did wear makeup, but it was subtle. Sinbad wears a bit when he is dealing with foreign affairs… But I have never tried it."

"Wanna try?" She tilted her head, brown hair slipping out of her braid. She was quite endearing, so Ja'far couldn't bring himself to say no. They brought in a bassinet for Mystras, and got to work. Raleigh was so excited, and so was Sango, the two of them loved playing with makeup. When Raleigh got close enough to examine his eyes pinching his chin between her forefinger and her thumb, "You have green eyes? Wow, I never knew."

He nodded, "They're just really dark. They were a lot brighter when I was young." Sin loved his eyes, he said that the green was a little secret in them, one had to stare very close in order to see it. Raleigh started by putting some sort of powder in his face, that was the same colour as his skin. He watched carefully, trying to learn how it was done. Makeup was an art, and he had always admired it. "Ah… It covers my freckles…"

"I'll lighten it up so that it doesn't." She smiled, "Sango, could you pass me the purple brush?" The little girl cooed, giving it to her mother, "Thank you darling." She lightened up the foundation along Ja'far's cheeks. "Do you like gold and purple? It will bring out the green in your eyes, and with a nice kohl liner."

"Yeah, I like both of those." They reminded him of Sin. "Though I trust you to do whatever." Raleigh seemed quite capable with makeup, she was always really put together herself, "Where did you learn to do makeup?"

"My job." She smiled, "The older women I worked with taught me how." She applied a light blush to his cheekbones, blending it in, before putting a tiny bit on the tip of his nose and the tips of his ears. "Though I don't like to talk about it… It wasn't the most desirable of career paths. Sindria gave me the opportunity to get out of it when I found out I was pregnant." That was why she loved this country so much. "Close your eyes." He did as he was told, and she applied a gold shimmer to his lids, taking a moment to breathe, knowing that he couldn't see how much the topic of her old work stressed her out. She was free from those chains now.

"We all have those scars… Please don't worry…" He sighed, wanting to comfort her. "Before I met Sin… I was in a group called the Sham Lash. While we worked in the less savory parts of the government… We were sometimes tasked with other tasks." He clenched his fists, remembering it, "I was eight the first time they asked me to 'serve' my country in the bedchamber of a nobleman." He had done it willingly, having been broken by their system by that point. _I have… Never told Sin this._

She nodded, "Twelve." Was all she said, feeling his pain. She took another moment, applying a deep royal purple to the outside corners of his eyes, wrapping it around to his the outside third of his lower lid, winging it out a tiny bit with a softer brush. "He saved you?"

"Yes. Many times." He smiled to Sango, "But perhaps a lighter conversation, for the little ones."

"Isn't this a pretty shade of purple, Sango?" She smiled, lifting the little one up so that she could see her mother's handiwork, "He's such a pretty man, isn't he?" Sango clapped, and Raleigh set her back down, "Pass me the silver container sweetie." And the little one did just that, happy to be of help. Inside the domed box was a colloid form of Kohl, as well as a narrow brush for applying it. "Alright Ja'far, keep still. This part is really delicate." She started with his top lid, applying the eyeliner with a small wing, "Now open your eyes and look up."

"This is fascinating." He did as she asked, trying not to blink when he saw the object so close to his eye. He let out a strong exhale when she pulled away, that had been tense. He felt stiff now.

She laughed, "Oh no, we got another thing for the eyes." She grabbed a mix of elderberry juice and coal, rubbing a sort of brush on it. "Keep looking up." She rubbed this stick on his eyelashes, being careful not to put too much. "Alright, eyes are done, don't blink too hard until that dries."

"Oh thank goodness." He sighed, doing as she said, "That was horrifying." This earned another laugh, "What?"

"A man who has lived through countless battles and revolutions… Thinks makeup is scary." She smiled, applying a lightly coloured pink creme to his lips. Despite all of this, he still maintained a masculine appearance due the the way she applied the makeup. Everything had been done very lightly and delicately. "Alright, look in the mirror." She passed it to him, and smiled when he gasped.

"Oh, this is weird." He reached for his own face, confused. He looked like one of the noblemen from Parthevia, except with a bit more colour. _What will Sin think? Will he like it?_ "I like the black stuff on my eyes." He said, he wasn't sure about all of the colours, but it did certainly make his eyes look more green.

"That's called Kohl eyeliner. It's the most popular in Heliohapt." She smiled, "Isn't he pretty, Sango?"

"Pretty." Sango said, and both adults turned to her in surprise.

"Oh my gods!" She gasped, picking up her child, "Sango!" She started crying, hugging her child.

"Pretty." Was all she said, smiling and playing with her mother's hair, waving it around. Ja'far smiled, appreciating this special moment, when there was a knock on the door.

He stood up to answer it, surprised that someone would be knocking on this particular door, as no one should really have business with Raleigh other than himself and Sin. He opened the door to see Spartos, "Ah, Spartos… Is everything alright?" He asked, concerned.

"Yes… I would just like the see my brother's namesake." He met Ja'far's eyes, "If that is alright with his guardian…?" His voice trailed, questioning Ja'far's new look.

Ja'far nodded, opening to door wide, not answering the unspoken question about the makeup, "He's asleep, but you could hold him." He smiled, knowing the sorts of memories that this must be dredging up for him. Hopefully they were happy ones.

Spartos gently took the infant into his arms, "Mystras…" He whispered, having only spoken the name in his prayers for several years. _I had always asked… That someday, somehow, you would come back to me in some way. You finally did.._ He felt like he was about to cry, completely overjoyed. He hadn't been there when his brother died, he hardly knew his brother, he had always distanced himself… But he had a chance to be here for this young boy. "Ja'far… If you ever need any help, please let me know." He smiled, and Ja'far nodded. Spartos gently set the baby back down in the bassinet, clearing his throat. "I have rounds to make." He patted the councilor's shoulder, before heading out. Sango hadn't even noticed that he had been there.

Ja'far looked between Raleigh and Sango, he had known that Spartos would react in a rather strange manner, but that had gone surprisingly well. "When will King Sinbad return?" Raleigh asked out of personal curiosity.

"Tonight." Ja'far relied with an eager smile, "Hopefully before then." After all, he was just running checks to make sure that repairs were going smoothly. How hard could that possibly be?

* * *

"What are his measurements?" One of the shopkeepers asked, looking through various fabrics, hands gliding over the silks. As soon as they saw their customers, they had brought out only their finest.

"Uh… Like this?" He modeled with hais hands as best as he could the various dimensions of Ja'far's body. After all, he had run his hands over it a thousand times, he had memorised the feel of it. "Also, can it be something that won't stain easily? A darker colour?" Babies threw up a lot, and were messy in general. "Something sturdy too, for playing with children."

The man behind the counter nodded, "Of course." He took out the silks from Heliohapt, as well as cottons from Reim. There were silks from Sindria as well, but they tended to be very light and airy, not ideal for roughing around. "Though, I do need more specific measurements, could you give approximants?"

"Um… A few centimeters shorter than Alibaba here…" He picked up the blonde, "Same weight." He set him down, and Alibaba straightened his clothes, "Does that help?" He really should know more specific numbers, Ja'far probably knew his. It made him feel guilty, like he didn't pay enough attention, even though he knew every little curve or swell of that man's body.

"Well, it's better than before." The shopkeeper smiled, and motioned to the fabrics, Sinbad tapped a study black cotton and a emerald silk. "Something green for the baby as well." He smiled, "Any chance this could be ready by tonight?"

The shopkeeper's eyes widened, "Yes of course, we'll get to work immediately!" He scurried off, carrying the fabrics with him. He called out various names, followed by the parts of the garments that they were assembling, and started drawing the designs on a chalkboard in the center of them room, giving the individual manufacturers liberty beyond what he drew, as long as they did not go too overboard.

Sinbad smiled, heading out of the room, Alibaba in tow. He smiled, looking to the cliffs that protected them from the outside world, "You up for a hike?" He asked, wanting to gather somme herbs and fruits from along the ocean side. The populace wasn't allowed on the other side of the cliff face, due to safety concerns. As such, there were plenty of wild berries that the generals sometimes gathered during their rounds. Spartos, who made the rounds the most frequently, had stopped doing it, as they dyed his skin, and keeping his skin clean and unmarked was a majour tenet of his beliefs.

"Sure." Alibaba said, happy to be alone with Sinbad and have the chance to learn little things from him. Over the years, he had learned a lot from SInbad, but he wasn't the man that he met in Balbadd years ago. He was much calmer and more cautious. They got walking, Alibaba keeping in stride much more easily than he did when he was younger, "Sinbad, what is it like to be in love?"

"What brings this on? Got someone special?" He smiled, elbowing his compatriot teasingly.

"Aren't you in love?" He asked brazenly.

"I am, though it is not something I like to talk about." He paused, considering where they were. He trusted Alibaba. Though Alibaba was smart, and manipulative. He was dangerous. Alibaba could bring down this kingdom he had worked so hard to create, if he did it behind closed doors and careless whispers. That's why he needed him on his side. "They're all I can think about. It's insane to have your thoughts constantly occupied with another human being. It's pure Euphoria to be with them… It's a thing of it's own. Everything I do now… It's all for them."

Alibaba nodded, doing his best to understand. Everything he had learned from the Generals and Sinbad was about helping a country prosper, or battle. There were other things that he had to learn about too. "How did you tell him- I mean, them?"

"I was alone with them on my balcony, and I just said it, as we were watching the sunset. It was the happiest moment of my life." He smiled, wrapping an arm around the curious youngster, "Does Morgiana know?"

"EH?!" He yelled, pulling away, a huge blush on his face, delicate like freshly picked pink roses.

"It's obvious." He said with a shrug.

"So are you two."

"Our day jobs give us good cover." He admitted, "No one needs to know that he's a freak in the sheets except me." He checked his nails casually, taking in the scent of the sea. "Only you and Yamuraiha know, stay quiet about it."

"Everyone knows, and everyone's talking about it…" He shuffled, trying to change the subject away from Morgiana. She had definitely… grown up… These last few years. She attracted more glances than she knew, including Alibaba's. He didn't know precisely when it happened, but he knew the moment he was completely captivated by her.

"Just help me pick these berries, and tell people that you've spoken to me, and that they're wrong." He smiled, feeling like he was betraying the man waiting back at the castle for him. How long would he have to continue to lie? Surely Ja'far was doing a better job at it. But every time he claimed that he didn't have feelings for him, he felt like someone was digging a rusty knife into his chest, twisting and turning it every which way.

 _I love you._


	4. Chapter 4

Ja'far waited patiently for SInbad's return, amidst taking care of their child, as well as helping Raleigh and Sango get adjusted to life in the castle. Sango was quite eager to explore, calling everything that they came across pretty. Her mother was amazed with her suddenly found word, and seeing this special period was helping prepare Ja'far for what it would be like for the child in his arms, only in his second day of life.

"Pretty!" Sango shouted upon seeing Yamuraiha, wobbling up to her, reaching up. "Pretty!" She called again, earning a coo from the blue haired woman, who picked her up.

"Aww! This sweet little thing must be Sango!" She smiled, seeing Ja'far, Mystras, and Raleigh together. "Having fun exploring? The castle sure is full of pretty things isn't it?"

"Pretty!" She called again, reaching for Yamuraiha's hair, fascinated by the colour.

"She should have her eyes checked, she might have some vision problems." Sharrkan said, coming up with Sinbad and Alibaba, "Pretty is far from the first word I would use to describe you."

"Children tell no lies." Yam said, not giving in to his usual taunts, even though they did hurt a tad. "Sinbad, please have him clean something. Or punish him. One shouldn't say such awful things in front of children, isn't that right sweetheart?" Her voice rose in pitch as she addressed Sango, floating above the chorus of castle labour. "Hey Alibaba." She smiled, kissing his cheek in a motherly fashion, not noticing the Sharkan huffed and folded his arms.

"Sharkan did more than enough work today, keeping the workforce for the repairs organised is quite a busy job." He smiled, striding off, eyes settling on Ja'far. He was silent for a moment, frozen, staring at his face before cupping it in one hand, "Why?" He patted the makeup with his thumb, and Ja'far gently pulled away, reminding him with his gaze of just where they were.

"Raleigh was teaching me. It might come in handy when I represent Sindria in other countries one day." He had been prepping for that for a long time. It would be safer for Sinbad to start staying behind during diplomatic missions. He was too valuable of a person now. "Does it look alright? I might have smudged it." Kohl was very prone to getting smudged.

"I can see the green so clearly." He smiled, heading off, "It looks nice on you. Have you eaten dinner yet?" He asked motioning for Ja'far to follow. The younger man waved to all of the other people in the group, before trotting off after him.

He shook his head, "No, I haven't. Is there anything you want in particular? I can run to the kitchen and let the staff know." He smiled up at him, "How were the repairs? Everything is going well?" He had been worried about the citizens of the outermost district ever since he had heard that there would be a flood. Fortunately, everyone from that area had been able to evacuate to higher elevations, but there was significant property damage.

"Yes, Sharrkan has been doing a wonderful job." He paused, "Though I ended up not going there-"

"Hm?" His adorable smile shifted to a menacing grin, sending chills down Sinbad's spine. "Don't tell me you were slacking off again." His dark eyes sparkled with malcontent.

"Hey, I got my work done ahead of time so that I could do this. That's hardly slacking." He paused, holding up the bag in his hand, "I wanted to get you and Mystras something."

Ja'far couldn't his the surprise on his face, "Sin… You didn't have to…" He followed his King into his room, Mystras kept looking up at Ja'far's face, as if studying it. Ja'far noticed this and cooed down at him, making Sinbad smile.

Sinbad pulled out the little tunic for Mystras, made entirely of dark green fabric, with delicate and soft gold embroidery, the colours of Sindria. "Isn't it cute?" He grinned, holding it up so Ja'far could see it, "It's really soft too."

"Oh it's adorable!" The former assassin let out a _giggle,_ which he didn't seem to notice, but Sinbad sure did. "What do you think, Mystras?" He paused as if to let the newborn answer, even though he obviously couldn't, "Papa did a great job."

"Papa?"

"Yeah. You're papa, I'm dada." He placed Mystras on the bed to change his clothes, "Having two dads would get confusing, but having a dad and a pops is easier to understand." He laughed again once he had gotten Mystras in the green robe, and Mytras just went with it, "Oh you're so cute! Oh I could just eat you up!"

"Please don't eat our son." He wrapped a hand around his waist, kissing his cheek. _I used to call my father pops…_ "I also got one for you, you should wear it to dinner. You're not working after all."

Ja'far looked to the roof, thinking, "I suppose you're right. I shouldn't wear official clothing when I am not on duty… How strange." It was all he was used to at this point. It had been years since he had worn something else on an average day. True, he sometimes worse festival garments for Mahrajan, but that was a special event. He smiled when Sinbad pulled it out of the bag as well, "Oh, it's beautiful."

Sinbad helped him undress, kissing his neck as his clothes slugged off of his neckline, "Like someone I know."

"Sin. There is a child in my arms." He scolded lightly, letting Sinbad slip the new robe over him, looking in the mirror. With the makeup and new clothes, he looked like someone else entirely. "Sin…" He could feel things changing so fast, and he loved it.

"Shh. Don't worry about a thing." He gave him another peck on the cheek before heading out. "See you at dinner!"

* * *

Ja'far got up from his desk to go over to the bassinet, where little Mystras was throwing a fit, "I'm right here, I'm right here." He smiled, putting in a new rattle for him to play with, "I just have some work to do, then we'll go play in the garden all you want." Mystras loved it out there, ever since he had taken him to the fountain when he was about a month old.

Three and a half months had passed since Mystras came into his life, and it was the greatest time of his life. Sure, he definitely didn't get as much work done as he used to, but every day was a new and precious memory that he would never forget. Sinbad was talking about getting him an assistant to help ease the burden, and while Ja'far was reluctant about that at first, he was starting to come around to the idea. It would mean that he would be able to spend more time with the little one.

As soon as Ja'far backed away, Mystras began to whine again. "Alright darling." He picked him up, placing him in a sling across his chest, so that he could continue to do work with his hands free, "I'm almost done."

Pisti came trotting in with several scrolls, placing them on the desk. "The ledgers from the trade with Reim, the prices are already marked to make it easier, though I know you like checking them for yourself!" She smiled, waving to Mystras, who was shaking his rattle. "Need any help?"

"No, no I think I got it." He smiled, he had his methods for paperwork, and no one else really understood them, so it was just easier to get things done on his own for now.

"More coffee, got it." She smiled, picking up his empty coffee cup, "One cream and sugar?" That was the way he always took his coffee, he insisted on preserving the natural flavour of the bean as much as possible.

"Please." He smiled, thankful for the refill.

"Your eyeliner is smudged." She reached over and fixed it before running off.

It wasn't long before he finished the rest of the paperwork, he barely got started on the ledgers when he decided to keep his promise to Mystras. Reim would be docking today to finalise some of their trade deals. As such, Sindria was throwing a large party to welcome Reim's new leader's first time on Sindrian soil, Titus Alexius. The castle was bustling with preparations.

Ja'far placed Mystras on a soft patch of grass, sitting beside him. Mystras held his head up, looking around, taking in all of the wonderful colours and sounds. "It's a beautiful day isn't it?" He laid down on his stomach as well, showing Mystras individual blades of grass, talking to him about it.

Fall was his favourite time of year in Sindria. It didn't snow here, but it did start to get significantly cooler. Different flowers started to bloom as well.

He looked up from their playtime upon hearing the great bell chime, as well as a few trumpets. "Reim is here little guy, we have to go see them." He got up, taking Mytras with him. They hadn't spent much time outside, but there was always later. "Sin!" He called, seeing the King up ahead of him, who paused to allow him to catch up, "How have the preparations gone?" He felt guilty, it was usually his job to monitor such things, but this was another thing that had gradually changed, at least while Mystras was so young and needing constant attention.

"Everything is perfect, Spartos has done a wonderful job stepping into your shoes. He and Pisti handled the decorations as well." He smiled, rubbing Mystras's head, earning a laugh. "Mystras!"

"Oh sweetie, you like Papa don't you?" Ja'far smiled, "He's never laughed before."

"Well, it's good to hear your voice for the first time little guy." He smiled, kissing the boy's forehead. Their footfalls sounded differently as soon as they stepped out onto the wood of the dock, bringing their attention back to their visitor. Aladdin was already there, waving to his old friend, who was waving in response.

Aladdin was ecstatic, eager to see his old friend and fellow magi, and he was sure that Titus felt the same way. "It's been a couple of years." He looked at Sinbad and Ja'far, eyes level with theirs now. He hadn't intended to spend so much time in Sindria, but something about Sinbad drew him in. He wanted to see what this man did with the world, even though he was listening to Yunan's advice all the while.

"Aladdin!" Titus called as soon as his feet hit the ground, pulling the other Magi into a hug, "Oh it is wonderful to see you again!" Aladdin squirmed, being jabbed by Titus's armour, the metal somehow finding every soft spot on his body. After he released the hug, he bowed his head towards Sinbad, "It is a pleasure to be here in Sindria, you have a beautiful country. May it prosper." He smiled sincerely, and Sinbad bowed slightly in return.

"To Reim as well. It is good to finally welcome you to Sindria." They turned to the castle, gradually making their way over while making casual conversation. It would be quite rude to begin delegations immediately. "I pray that your journey went smoothly?"

"Ugh, no. Some pirates got some wise ideas." He sighed, running his hand through his hair, which he had cut shorter, "Marga! Please don't wander far!" He called to the twelve year old. "They tried to take her hostage. It was a nightmare." Though now they were all dead, courtesy of his soldiers, but he didn't want to be bringing that up in front of Aladdin or Marga. Being the ruler of the Reim empire had hardened him as a person. Those who tried to harm those he loved would not be allowed to live.

"Do you need a prison cell to hold them? Did the attack occur in Sindria's oceans?" If pirates were that close, he would have to send Yamuraiha to exterminate them.

"International waters." He checked his nails, trying to appear calm, "A cell is not necessary." This would let Sinbad know that the pirates had returned to the rukh. Aladdin seemed to notice as well, and tensed up.

"Mister Titus!" Marga called, pointing to a plant, "This is such a beautiful tree!" She never lost her fascination with the surface, and every time she saw something new, there was the same wonder that filled her as the first time that sunlight had filled her skin with warmth. "A baby!" She called, standing on her toes to see Mystras. Ja'far lowered him so that she could see him better, and Mystras looked to the new face, amazed and staring. "What's his name?"

"Mystras." Sinbad smiled, "Lord Titus, I would like to introduce you to my son, Mystras."

"Congratulations, I had no idea you married." He smiled surely word of such an event would have reached Reim, or everywhere really. "Lady Kougyoku?" He asked, knowing that the girl was infatuated with him.

"Oh no, I never married. I adopted him, and Ja'far is helping me raise him as his caretaker." He could see a quick flash in Ja'far's eyes, he hated it when they had to lie. It hurt him too. He begged for a day where they could tell the truth. He would make that day come one day, now simply wasn't the time.

"Ah, that is wonderful!" Titus clapped, looking to Marga, she had been only five when he had taken her in. He never would have known that he would live long enough to see her grow up. "I wish you the best of luck, both of you."

Ja'far nodded and smiled, keeping quiet. It was bad enough that some of the generals knew about their relationship, but it could possibly be political suicide if other nations found out. It would also make him more of a target, for leverage against the King. But it hurt so much… He had to man up. He couldn't let this affect him. "Thank you." Was all he managed, but it sounded stressed. Oops.

"Sinbad, your caretaker isn't getting enough sleep! Take better care of him!" He patted his back in a jovial manner, getting the message across lightheartedly.

"He drinks too much coffee." He chirped, smiling at Ja'far, but taking the message to heart. "Please do speak up if you ever need a few moments to yourself… I would hate for you to burn yourself out."

"Of course, My King. please do not trouble yourself for me." Another smile. Fortunately, he was spared any more awkward conversations, as they had arrived at the Green Sagittarius tower, where Titus and his escorts would be staying while trade negotiations went through.

"Please, take time to refresh yourself. We can get to business tomorrow." Sinbad let loose a charming smile, and Titus agreed.

He was worn from the journey, and needed rest. "Marga!" He called for the little girl, who looked up from the middle of a flower patch, "Come on, let's go. You must be exhausted." He held out his hand, and she came to grab it, walking off with him.

Ja'far looked up to Sinbad, feeling his presence wasn't necessary any longer. He was just there for show after all. "Sin, I'm going to head up. I still have work to do." He stepped off but Sinbad followed, "Sin." He wasn't saying anything, so Ja'far just sighed, wondering what sort of games he was playing.

It truly was a stunning day. Everything felt clear and crisp. The birds were fluttering about, singing their songs in lush green trees. "Sin, what are you doing?"

"Making sure you don't do work." He admitted, "You're grounded."

"You can't ground me, I'm an adult." He huffed, continuing to walk, "Besides, the trade ledgers that I have to work on are crucial for negotiations with Reim."

"Fine, but I'm watching Mystras then. It's no fair." He pouted like a child. He was always like this with Ja'far, especially when he didn't get what he wanted from the man. "I want to make him laugh again."

"Well, he's bound to be hungry soon. So expect him to start crying." He smiled, passing the infant to Sinbad, "Make sure to take him out the the gardens, I promised him earlier. Also, he loves that sweet potato soup in the kitchen, just make sure it's not too hot. The red and gold rattle is his favourite, but you have to shake it first otherwise he'll just throw it. He hates socks, and he'll try to kick them off, but then he'll complain when his feet get cold, so you have to make sure that they stay on-"

"I got it!" Sinbad smiled, already walking off. How hard could it possibly be?


End file.
